1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a test method, and more particularly to an innovative one which is used to test the ketone number of an animal specimen.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
A kind of “ketosis” may occur when the energy contained in domestic animals is under a negative balance state. Where dairy cattle is concerned, such ketosis generally occurs in the early stage of lactation, when the feed intake of dairy cattle cannot meet the growing demand for lactation. In such a case, dairy cattle will start to turn in-vivo fat into the energy source. Of which, the liver is an organ for energy conversion. However, only limited fat could be converted into useable energy (i.e.: glucose). In the case of overload, the liver may generate ketone, which could be used as an energy source with lower efficiency, leading to discomfort of dairy cattle, even malignant pathological changes and finally the so-called “clinical ketosis”.
In the event of occurrence of ketosis, all dairy cattle in the same breeding region will be possibly affected, resulting in substantial economic loss for the stock farmers. Hence, there is an important and urgent task to prevent the occurrence and spreading of ketosis.
Some common solutions are already adopted in this field. Among which, one solution is to test ketosis using uranalysis, but this simple method has poor accuracy despite of low cost, since the content of blood ketone could not be accurately estimated through the color change of urine. Hence, such a method is only suited for a general survey of cattle. Another solution is to test blood ketone using the test method of β-Hydroxybutyric Acid (BHBA). Notwithstanding higher accuracy, this solution cannot be accomplished by farmers, so professional veterinarians are often required to extract blood from the animal bodies, and then take the blood back to medical institutions or labs for chemical examination. However, since the test process is subject to professional veterinarians, such method lacks of flexibility and working efficiency, meanwhile the test by professional veterinarians is of a very high cost, increasing the burden of the farmers with poor economic benefits.
Currently, a specimen is available to test the ketone number of human bodies in collaboration with a testing machine. Yet, such a specimen cannot be used directly to test the ketone number of animals due to different blood concentrations and contents of the human and animal bodies. Furthermore, the test value of animals' ketone number with the specimen is unhelpful to accurate identification and judgment.
Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement if the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve the efficacy.
Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.